The present invention is concerned with partitions of the type normally freely received within cartons, boxes, and the like for a variety of purposes including separation and/or protection of the contents. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the provision of means particularly adapted to prevent an inadvertent discharge of the partition from the associated carton, while at the same time allowing for intentional removal of the partition.
Partitions, for example solid fibre partitions, are frequently used as separators or as an innerpacking in conjunction with cartons to protect, in a cell-like fashion, whatever product may be transported in the carton. A common use for such partitions is in the protection of glass containers, either empty or filled, against breakage and scuffing. In connection with empty glass containers, the filler, that is the one performing the filling operation, will normally purchase the total unfilled package including the empty glass containers packed within a corrugated carton and protected by an internal partition of cellular construction.
The glass containers are initially packed upside down by the glass container manufacturer in anticipation of the automatic decasing operation by the filler. The decasing operation involves an emptying of the glass containers out of the carton for processing through the filling operation. The emptying of the containers is effected by a known automatic operation wherein the carton is picked up mechanically and inverted so that the containers will fall onto a conveyor right side up in preparation for the filling operation. It is during the decasing process that the partition assembly frequently falls out of the carton onto the conveyor along with the containers, thereby disrupting the process of feeding the empty containers into the filling line.
This falling out of the partition results because of the lack of sufficient friction between the inside of the carton and the outside normally vertical edges of the partition. The partition itself is basically composed of several interlocked lengthwise and crosswise strips or panels, the length and width of which can be controlled to relatively fine tolerances, i.e., plus or minus 1/32 inch. The internal dimensions of a corrugated carton are generally controlled to plus or minus 1/8 inch, but can vary as much as plus or minus 3/16 inch to 1/4 inch. It is the combination of these tolerances which gives rise to the likelihood of the partitions falling out of the cartons when they are inverted.
In some instances, the partition can be manufactured slightly oversized, that is with the lengthwise and crosswise strips slightly longer than the specified dimensions, thereby creating a tight fit between the partition and the inside of the carton. However, if the inside dimensions of the carton are as specified, or possibly slightly smaller, it can be difficult to insert the partition into the carton or, even if this is accomplished, cell distortion can result due to the necessary bending of the lengthwise or crosswise strips which must be effected if the partition is to be inserted into the carton. This distortion of the cells can, in turn, result in jam-ups on the automatic casing line. That is, when the cartons are being loaded at the container manufacturing installation, the cells in the carton, which are distorted from use of the oversize partition, do not register properly with the automatically dropped containers. This, obviously, can result in difficulties including line stoppage and container breakage.